Golf game apparatus



June 10, 193.0.

B. MACFADDEN GOLF GAME APPARATUS.

'Filed may 4,' 1927 WZ wwwa/ffii' /NvENr TTORNE Y.

`apparatus of thisrkind'w Patented. June-1o, '1930' BERNARRMAGADDEN, 'or'- NEW YORK, N. Y.

GOLF GAME APPARATUS,

`App1icationl1ed May 4, 1 927. Serial B04188343.

yllhis invention relates to games .or appaf ratus or devices for playing games where the space is limited and.v Imore particularly to means for playing in limited enclosures a 5 fgame much simulating golf as played on large links, though it is noted that the invention is not limited to golf no1` in some'respects [even to -garnesin limited space.

@ne object of the invention is to provide m an apparatus or` device' of this kind givingl'practice in ai variety of strokes including, among others, lofting, long and short drives and putting, by'which the 'game of regular golf may be taught.

ia Another object ofthe invention is to prodevice of this kind in" vide an apparatus or which a bad stroke inv driving puts the player `in diiicnlt positionsv for subsequent strokes, as in regular golf.

T205 j Another object lof the invention is'to provide an apparatus or device 'of this' kind 'which will tend to teach theplayer to use thebest strokesffor. various conditions.

Other objects of theV invention are to im'- prove generally .the simplicity 'and' eiliciency of. such devices land to` provi'de adevice or ich lis amu'rsing,'di'

- verting, health-giving, economical, durable and-.reliable inl operation, economical 'to 3o manufacture'and easy tojset'up'.` f A Still other` objects of whe invention will appear 4as the descriptionjproceeds; and while herein details-of the invention are. dei scribed and claimed, the 4inventions-is not limited `to these, .since many land various lchanges.[may be made without fdeparting from the` scope .of the invention as claimed-in the broader-claims.- v The inventive features for the accomplish- 401ne'nt. ofthese and other objects `are shown herein in connection with an `improved golf apparatus which, briefly stated, vincludes a green having. a hole and hazards therein and ascreen associatedwith the, greenand having therein holes of progressively increasing prises an elongated horizontal green 5 ofl size. A ball receiving dev-ice attherear of one of said openings :Eorteaehing long drives has a forward funnel portionjse'cured around said openings, and an upwardly inclined tubular portion merging with the funnel porv further romthe hole.

tion. -T`he device has a loweriopening at said l. funnel portion. for receiving-low s eed balls, another opening midway of the tu ular portion which medium speed balls may reach,

and an opening at the upper part of the tubular portion which only high speed balls will reach. Pockets secured under said lower openings' have indicia thereon'. Correspond ing indicia are also located on ,the green, the indiciav` on the een corresponding tothe 60. pockets progressively nearer the screen being located at'positions progressively lesscuit relative to the hole. The other openings in the screen also have distinctive indicia assoeiate'd'therewith, the' green being provided with corresponding y indicia respec' tively located, relative to said hazards and hole, at more diiiicult positions than those corresponding to the. pockets' and at progres` sivelyniore iiicult positions -forhitting a ball into the hole. y 0r a green`can be located in any yard, large .or small. Hazards can be erected or the yard can be Aused'asit is. .The green herein .disclosed is simply af description .of how it can be made with that in view. The principal advantage vof this game of golf is its sim plicityv andthe ease with lwhich it can-be erected in a small or large yard. The'only article that is absolutely necessary on the putting green is the regulation hole used in golf. One can then take the diilicult shots from the first tee, as'showm and place the ball near the fhole, and the lessvdiiiicult shots' e5 drawing, showing by 1 In theaccompanying 'way of example .one of many possible ernbodimentsofftle invention,

' gig. 1 is a perspective view of the device; an

Fig. 2 is'a vertical sectional view, partly in4 elevation, 'the section being taken on the line 242 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows of said line.

My improved golf game apparatus comturf, dirt, wood or any suitable material and -an ,upright screen 6 transverse to the green .the screen. shown asrect-angular rather than round or 6""5 Y .la meseta small opening 8 above the central opening, larger taller lateral openings 9 on each side of the first named openings and a very 'large wide largest opening 10 near the bottom of lVhile said openings are herein other shapes, this invention is not thus limited.

The screen may be'built in any suitable manner and is here shown as comprising marginal upright and cross pieces 12, 13, a

.board or canvas 14 secured acrosssaid pieces retain the halls 19 projected through the openings into Athe pockets.

The green 5 may be arranged in any yard of any sizeand in a variety of ways but is here shown as being provided with an axial fairway 20 extending substantially from end to end and having therein a hole 21 near the screen Vand being intersected midway and near the outer end by Zones of rough 22, 23 such as long grass or an imitation thereof. The* green is also shown as provided with a tee 24 at the outer end of the fairway and sand pits 25 on both sides of the fairway between the hole and the screen and between the hole and the rough, and a paiixof bunkers 26 between the roughs 22 and 23.y j

A ball receiving device may be provided .at the rear of any of said openings, for instance, the opening 7, for encouraging long drives. This device may comprise a large forward funnel portion 27 (Fig. 2) having its edge secured around said opening 7 and a rearwardly and upwardly inclined tubular portion 28 merging with the funnel portion, and having a downturned rear discharge endv 29. Said device is provided with lower openings surrounded by flanges 30, 31 about midway of the tubular portion and at thefunnel portion. Rings 32 removably secured to .said flanges 30, 31 anddownturned end 29 by a bayonet-slot connection 33 carry pockets 35,

36, 37 secured on said rin s and having in-.4

dicia, for instance, A, B, applied thereon.

Said funnel is adapted to .receive balls projected into said opening'7, the balls incoming at slight speed Afalling into the pocket C, balls at higher speed riding upwardly in the tpbular portion and reaching the pocketB, highest speed balls reaching the pocketA.

The screen is provided with correspond ing indiciaA A, B and C at progressively more difficult positions relative to the hole 21.

The green is also provided with markings A, B, C over the opening 7, corresponding to the indicia on the pockets, and also with indicia D, E, F designating medium small, larger andlargest openings 8, 9 and 10. The green is provided in addition to the markings A, B and C, with markings D, E, F, thc markings being all respectively located at progressively more difficult positions for hitting the ball into the hole,.marking A being on the fairway between` the rough and the hole, the marking B being'on the fairway just beyond the rough 22, two markings C f being near the end of the rough 22' with the rough and asand pit between such marking and the hole, the 'marking D being in the fairway beyond the outer rough 22. The markings E are beyond both bunkers, while the markings F are beyond the outer rough 23 outside of the fairway. 1

While said markings are herein shown as letters rather than as numerals for counting scores, the invention is not so limited.

The game may be played in a great variety of ways or as follows:

The players may alternate strokes in regular golf, and to commence the first player places the ball upon the tee and drives for one of the openings 7 to 10. If he' misses the opening he tries again from the tee as in the first shot and keeps on hitting for an opening until the ball is'landed in one of them, taking care to count the strokes as in 'regular golf. Or when the ball is not driven into an opening and falls in front of the apparatus the ball can be placed on the green at the most dilieult shot. In order to make openings-7 and 8 more dificult and to require that the strokes more simulate long drives, hoods 4Q, 41 are mounted over these openings perpendicular to the screen, thus to prevent pitch shotsl from landing therein.

After the ball has landed in an opening and a pocket 18, 35,36 or 37 it is by hand removed from the pocket and `placed on the letter of the green corresponding to the lett'er placed over the opening in which the ball landed. Thus, if the ball has landed in the most diiiicult pocket 35, it is 'then placed upon the letter A of the green and the player putts for the hole 21, which he should make in one or a fewstrokes. If, however, the ball has landed in the opening 10, it must be placed `upon a letter F of the green, and it may require many strokes to make the hole, as the various hazards must be avoided. Small ditches 43 prevent the ball from being putted from the letters E and F to the fair- Way, but do not interfere with driving at the tee or the markings B or D.l The score will be counted as in regular golf.

If it be desired to play with the screen only 4and without the green, the letters A, B, C, D,

E and F may be respectively valued, lfor instance, as 200, 150, 50, 30, 20, 10 and 5, as representing length of strokes in yards, and the players alternately-drive at the holes,

the player making the highest score in acer#v tain numberoi:l strokes winning the' game.

Many-ways of playing the game will suggestthemselves,.an'd the invention is "not inA '5 any way limited to any method of playing.l

- I claim as my invention:

l. In 'againe apparatus,.`a green having a goal; a screen having an opening therein; al ball receiving device at the rear of saidopen- 10 ing, comprising a forward lfunnel secured around said opening; an upwardlyinclined 15 designating said lower openings; vand cory responding indicia on the green, the indicia on the green corresponding to the lower openl `Q ;lin a game apparatus, a greenhavi-ng i hole; a screen having an opening "therein a' ball receiving device at the rear of said openf ing, comprising a forward funnel secured- `,Q25-around-saidv opening; an upwardly inclined A tubular portion merging with the funnel por# 1 `tion;said device having lower openings at said funnel portion, vmidwayof the-tubular portion ;and pockets secured under said lower 30 openings and having indicia thereon; and

corresponding indicia von the green, the `ini dicia 4onv the green corresponding...to the pockets progressively nearer the screen .be-

ing located at positions progressively less dif- Y sffiicult relative to the hole.- v

i 3. Ina'game apparatus, a green havinga hole therein; an upright s`creen,at one end of the green providedy with openings' therein;

and a ball receiving device attheV rear'of one ,49 of said openings-comprising a largev or. wardfunnel portion having the edge secured -around-the opening; av rearwardly and upwardly inclined tubular portion merging with the funnel portion, and having .a downturned ,5 rear discharge end; said devicebeing providedwith lower openings` surrounded by j flanges vabout midway of the tubular portion 'and at the funn-el portion.; rings removably` g -1 secured to said flanges and downturned end by a bayonet-slot connection ;pocketssecured on ysaid rin s and liavingindicia A, B, C -thereon; lsaid funnel being 'adaptedvto rej V ceive balls incoming at slight speed falling lcinto the pocket C, balls at higher speed riding wflpwardly in the tubular portion and' reaching the pocket'B, highest speed balls reaching the pocket A; and indicia A, B, C on said j green 'at progressively -mo re difcult posi-v tions vrelative to the hole.-

C9 ANIA ball receiving devicecomprising 'a downturned reardischarge end; Ysaid device' 'QS'bngj provided with lower openings sur- .rounded by flanges about -midway of the tubu.

lar portion and at the funnel portion; rings removably secured to said ianges and down-- turned end; and .pockets removably securedl von' said rings and having indicia thereon. Y

5K.`A ball -receiving device.' comprising ,a rearwardly and upwardly inclined 'passage'- portion provided with` lower openings in its' lower face a't'- dier'ent distances up the incline;'a'nd pockets securedl under said open y75 p ings. tubularA portion merging witlithe .funnel portion; said device having lower openings diferent distances from its' ends; indi-cia4 6. In a gamea-pparatus, a green having a hole; a screen having ari-opening therein; a ball -receiving device at the rearvof said open` ing, comprising 'an upwardly inclined pas# 30,

',s'age portion having loweriopenings; pockets secured under said lower ,openings and having indiciaassomated therewith g'and correspond- I ing indicia on the green, the indicia on theV green corresponding to the indicia of tlie'85 pockets'an'd located at positions progressively less difficult relative to the hole.

7. :A ballL receiving device comprisingv af rearwardlyiand upwardly inclined passage portion having a smooth' lower face on which .9o balls may'froll, said lower face being 'pro-'- yided lwith a plurality lof Alower ball-Irece iv' ing openings disposed., different. distances up,

ltherinclined face. ,sr

8. In a gaine apparatus, a green having a '95 hole therein; a l screen at'ftheedge of the green and provided with spaced. ball-receiv .Y

Ving openings of progressivelyI increasing size and including a small' opening, a very ylarge, .opening and openings of intermediate size',- 100- the `spacing structure of said screen spacing said openings fromeachot'herand the edgesv ofthe' screen and being as wide as therwidth fof the smaller openings and adapted when I vstruck bythe .ball to throw the ball back to f,105 thegreen; distinctive indicia associated with -v tlie'respective openings;'and corresponding indicia-located on the' green at-fprogressively more diiiicult positions for hitting the ball.;-

intov the hole, the indicia corresponding tri-alo the larger openings being located on` tli'iff green atthe more difficult locations. f

I. 9; .Inga game apparatus, a green' having'a 4hole therein; a v screen at the' edge of they greenand provided with spaced lball-receiv- `115 -ing openings of progressively increasin sizel c 'l and including' a small opening, very arge opening and openings of y intermediate size; the spacing 'structure of said .s 'creen spaf'zing said openings from each other andthe edges' i120` of the screen and being as wide as the width v of the smaller openings Vand adapted l when struck by thebaii @throw the ban back a f the green distinctive indiciaassociated with the respective openings; .and corresponding'1- indicia locatedon thegreen at progressively more ,-diiiicult positions for hitting-the ball into the. hole, the indicia corresponding .to the larger openings being located at the more diicult'locations;"the center of the openings ,A30

corresponding to the most diiiicult greenposition being the most" remote from said spacing structure, whereby the opening corresponding to the most diilicult green-posi- 'tion is the least hazardous.

l0. In a game apparatus, a green having a hole therein; a screen at the edge of the green and provided *with spaced ball-receiving openings of progressively increasing size and including a small opening, a very large opening and openings of intermediate size; the spacing structure of said screen spacing said openings from each other and the edges of the screen andlbeing as wide as the Width of the smaller openings and adapted when struck by the ball to throw the ball back t0 the green; distinctive indicia associated' with the respective openings; an'd corresponding indicia located on the green at progressively more difficult positions for hitting the ball into the hole, the indicia corresponding to the larger openings being located at the more diiiicult locations; thewidth of said spacing structure and the position and size of the '25 openings rendering the ball less likely, when aimed at the small openings, to go into any opening, and more likely to hit said struc ture than if aimed at a larger opening; thereby to cause the player'to balance the disadvantage of risking hitting saidspacing structure, when aiming at a smaller hole, against theadvantage of one of the less vdiiicult guion-positions associated with the smaller o es. Y 1

- 11. In a -green apparatus, a green havingv 'a' holetherein; a screen at an edge of the green and provided with at least three spaced ball-receiving openings` of progressively increasing sizeand progressively decreasing 40 distance from the bottom of the screen; distinctive indicia associated with the respective openings ;v and corresponding indicia located atprogressively more hazardous green-positions for hitting the ball into 'the hole; the opening corresponding to the most hazardous green-position being the least hazardous. Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York, 1927. BERNARR MACFADDEN. i 

